“Great Now, Great later”: good immedialy and after some years, the strength of Soave

“Great Now, Great Later”: good immediately and good after several years of aging. This is the strength of Soave, the wine from the largest white wine denomination in Veneto. It’s almost a slogan launched during the edition No.2 of “Appuntamento Soave,” promoted by the Soave Consortium in recent days at the Officers’ Club in Verona, in collaboration with the Soave Wine Route, with a seminar, a masterclass, a talk show, and a tasting counter with 40 producers and a selected, knowledgeable audience who had the opportunity to appreciate both young and aged Soave wines.
The concept “Great Now, Great Later” was demonstrated in the glasses during the masterclass headed by Jeff Porter, Italian correspondent for “Wine Enthusiast”, who presented labels from both recent vintages and those of over 10 years old from by of the most renowned quality producers. “Great Now, Great later”, as an indication to target two souls of Soave wines, that of young wines, vibrant, to be enjoyed immediately, and that of wines capable of evolving, to wait during the years, could be very realistic. This hypothesis was echoed in the forward-looking vision shared by Cristian Ridolfi, president of Consorzio del Soave, who shared with WineNews, during the talk show “Soave: autentico, autoctono, contemporaneo” - “Soave: authentic, native, contemporary,” moderated by vicedirector of “Corriere della Sera” Luciano Ferraro which involved representatives from other sectors as well, bringing valuable experiences and reflections to the wine world. “Our communication needs to be clearer and more direct - underlined Ridolfi - by talking about two styles of Soave: one from the current vintage with floral expressions, and another with strong character, capable of aging over time. This second style is recognizable in the “Classico” (Doc, ed), “Superiore”, and “Superiore Riserva” (Docg, ed) types, as well as in wines produced in the Additional Geographical Units (Ugass). These Soaves are tyipically produced on hills, grown on less fertile soils, from grapes harvested at full ripeness, resulting in wines that evolve positively, are highly gastronomic, and pair easily with dishes from many international cuisines”. This clarity in communicating the two “styles” will broaden Soave’s market opportunities, going beyond the current popularity of white wines, as Porter pointed out from his U.S.-focused perspective, where the challenge is positioning. “It’s a perfect moment for Soave - he observed - thanks to its dual consumption potential and excellent quality/price ratio, which makes it competitive in the U.S. not only against French wines and those from other countries, but also against white wines from other Italian regions, which tend to be more expensive. Its aging potential makes it ideal for those seeking exciting wines and for those who enjoy cellaring and drinking wines after long bottle aging, but who may not be able to afford prestigious and costly whites. But this needs to be communicated, not just by talking about the “palate”, but about the entire culture behind the bottle”. Comparing data from the end of August 2024 to current figures, Soave bottlings - thus retail sales - show a double-digit percentage increase. “However - commented Ridolfi - we must always consider values and positioning relative to competitors. That said, the matter is much more complex than a single number or a positive trend and must always be related to the context we aim to engage with. Wine is a discretionary product, affected by economic cycles, and today additional factors contribute to uncertainty in some markets. It’s essential to remember that everything is based on the law of supply and demand, which can’t be ignored. Global alcohol consumption is not declining, spirits are growing, which means consumers are less focused on wine or certain categories of wine. So we must approach consumers differently, but not assume they no longer want to drink wine or less alcohol.”
New consumption paradigms were discussed during the talk show by Michele Cannone, Lavazza global brand director away from home, who highlighted how experiences drive the evolution of a product category. The parallel with coffee is fitting - given its many varieties and diverse ways of processing and serving - but it’s moving in the opposite direction compared to wine: global coffee consumption is growing so rapidly that demand far exceeds supply, leading to rising prices, which also rightly help improve wages for those who harvest it.
“In the coffee world, consumption models have changed significantly - explained Cannone - in 50 years, coffee, driven by formats born in the U.S., from Starbucks in the ’90s to coffee shops in the 2000s, has transformed places, rituals, and language, putting the experience at the center rather than the product itself, whose quality can even become secondary. What wins is the combination of product, environment, and service”. The challenge for wine can’t be reduced to just “how much alcohol” it contains (9, 10, or 12%): lowering alcohol content only makes sense if the consumption paradigm changes, creating accessible, frequent, and desirable contexts, as beer and restaurant chains did, where the brand-product becomes an “ingredient” in a broader experience. The world of wine can sometimes be a bit self-referential. In addition to this, rising prices in restaurants, the decline of bars as social spaces, regulatory pressure, and health trends intensify the problem: those who don’t frequent high-end or starred restaurants now struggle to find occasions for wine consumption and adequate service expertise. We need - concluded Cannone - new formats, more “approachable” and understandable packaging, well-designed low/no alcohol lines, and less elitist collective communication. In other words, we must rethink consumption models (outside and inside the home), embrace cross-industry contamination, and bring wine back to the center of contemporary experiences, not just labels and regulations”.
On the other hand, agriculture operates with different rhythms and rules than industry, as experienced by the Adler Group, an international leader in designing and producing components and systems for the transport industry - which has invested in wine and livestock to shorten the supply chain for its restaurant ventures, object of previous investments. “When we approached agriculture - explained Achille Scudieri, vicepresident of the Adler Group -  we had to recalibrate, understanding the differences from industrial production. The Abraxas project in Pantelleria, through Tenute Scudieri, was not just an economic investment but also a cultural and value-driven one, inspired by our deep connection to the land and the South: don’t forget where we come from: despite our international growth, we’ve always felt the need to stay rooted in our origins, in the Vesuvian area, in the land, in nature. In a complex global context marked by competition, geopolitical instability, and climate change, wine is a fascinating challenge for those who want to invest in beauty, culture, and humanity. And, large companies can bring know-how, industrial vision, and logistical and commercial capabilities to enhance territories at risk of depopulation or marginalization”.
In the currently rapidly changing and constantly evolving scenario - mong sustainability, climate change, and new consumption trends, especially among younger generations - not only producers and institutions but also trade fairs are called to respond. Barbara Ferro, Ceo of Veronafiere, illustrated these responses. “A trade fair’s role is also to interpret trends and support its sectors during market transitions, like the one wine is currently experiencing, not just in terms of tariffs - confirmed Ferro - Vinitaly, in Verona, offers a wide range of proposals which reflect all the new trends, from mixology to No-Lo, as well as education and economic data analysis that guide promotional activities throughout the year. These efforts target key markets, traditional ones like the U.S. and emerging ones like Asia, Eurasia, and South America with an approach increasingly aimed at integrating the customs and habits of the countries it addresses to. With “Vinitaly and the City”, we also promote wine culture and responsible drinking, helping to create new ways of engaging younger audiences with a language that emphasizes contemporaneity, versatility, and freshness, key elements for a demand that is changing and no longer identifies with previous generations’ models, even at the table and in beverage choices paired with food choices. Moreover, today the sector faces challenges posed by climate change and Artificial Intelligence, which require investments in skills and technology development. This historical moment calls for support to businesses, especially where size can become a barrier”.
To close the talk, Monsignor Bruno Fasani, president of Fondazione Biblioteca Capitolare of Verona and Director of Telepace (interviewed by WineNews) was invited to offer a cultural reflection, precisely because wine is the only beverage with spiritual and religious significance dating back to antiquity.“It’s always difficult to translate a theological-biblical reading into economic and commercial terms because there’s a risk of falling into moralistic interpretations - Fasani began - yet I’m always fascinated by the idea of what God places on our lips to help us think. Take Psalm 79, for example: it presents God’s dream, imagining humanity as a vineyard. And when He perceives that this vineyard can no longer bear fruit, He Himself, through His messenger Jesus, offers to become the vineyard. “I am the vine, you are the branches”. Clearly, the vineyard becomes a metaphor for a society that lives in joy. This made me reflect on the idea of joy among young people, increasingly caught in the pursuit of a joy that comes from erasing the concept of limits, now seen merely as a convention, no longer serving a deeper value. But the vineyard is also a symbol of social care.Vine is a demanding creature, requiring constant support. We should reconsider the deeper meaning of the term “Cantine Sociali” - “Social Wineries”: is it because everyone brings their grapes there, or because they are a shared asset of the territory? And in what way?” It’s important to ask how to make a production area thrive, not just the wineries themselves, even though Soave already has a head start in this regard. And then, continuing with this metaphor, there’s the wild boar which devastates the vineyard. But it would be reductive to confine the problem to tariffs alone: today, there is an urgent need to restore the social tissue”.